Omaha daily bee., 1887-01-02
DIVINE MELODY IN VIENNA
The Production of Karl Gcidmark's New
Opera Merlin"
A CHAMPAGNE DREAM IN TIGHTS
Famous Musical lustttutions in the
Austrian Capital-So-Callcd $50
ciai Evening" For Marriage
- Mad Maidcns.
CHAMPAGNE DREAM IN TIGHTS

VIENNA, Dec. II, 1885, Correspon
dence of the BEE. The most important
event that has recently taken place at
our imperial opera house is the produc-
ton of Karl Goldmark's new opera
Merlin" This is tragic opera in
grand style; the subject treats of the
marvellous fortunes OF tho remarkable
prophet IN the time of King Arthur
! and the knights of the Round Table, and
is exceedingly fascinating.
The composer, whose uudisputed
| speciality has hitherto been the Oriental
| style of music, has. in this, his latest
work, on which he has been employed for
the past ten years, gone over in meas
ure to the Wagnerian camp. In
| Merlin" both faults and merits arc
| pretty evenly balanced. Altogether this
new work remains a highly important
| event, and will assuredy achieve Il sue.
cess, especially in England, whose soil
| gave birth to the lonely magician, and
also on the principal lyrical stages of
| North America. Merlin" is a grand
| spectacular and magical opera, and has,
strictly speaking, but two important
roles, Merlin and Nivianc, which poctical
figures are magnifccntly represented by
Nine. Matcrna and NJ. Winkelmann, in
whom splendid voice, imposing appear
ancc, and pathetic conception, combine
to produce grand and artistic effect.
Our next novelty is to be in the chorc.
| ographic domain. The new ballet, n
| Champagne Dream, will soon be pro.
duced; NJ lgnaz Brill, the composer OF
| the Golden Cross. has written the music.
| The plot of this ballet turns upon the
| cure of most unfortunate monarch,
who, stricken with the deepest mean-
| choly, is cured by means of the newly.
, invented champagne. This is new rem
| cdy for melancholy. David was cured
! by the music of the harp, and the king in
| this ballct by the sparkling French wine
In the ballet, all famous wines arc smy-
bolically represented, and the pretty
! coryphces of the Vienna opera house
, will dance about the stage IN the charac.
tcrs of Hungarian, French, Italian, Aus.
;rian and Spanish wines.
1t is announced that early in the com.
ing year MasSenet's grand opera of the
CID is to be produced with Lucca rs
thimenc. AS Nine. LuCca has of late been
frequently indISposod and capricious, and
complains OF all sorts OF troubles, il is
somewhat doubtful whether this novelty
will be launched at the exact time stated,
Ia any case, our opera manager is dis.
playing great activity, and IS constantly
! enrlching the repertOry OF this house
with important, or al least interesting adj
ditIons, and fortunately has nj its dis
poSai forces such as no other academy Of
music can boast.
The genial Pauline, the Wulkyrie like
Amalla Matcrna, the highly.gifted Rosa
Papier, the clever Blanca Bianchi, the
fnll-toned Tony Schl1ger, the powerful
Hermann Wnkelmann, The MAGNIFICENT
baritone, Theodore Reichmann, Hans
Rokitausky, of the Italian school, and the
lyrical George Muller, together form n
trOup which has been led from victory to
victory by its directors, Wilhelm jain
and Hans Richter. The gepertory of the
Imperial Opera house includes a collec.
tiOn of operatic literature rs represented
by Mozart, Richard Wagner Bclliui and
Donlzetti, Gounod aud Rnbensteiu. Equal
right for every kind Of music, even for
waltz music, which, in the Vienna
waltzcs, has triumphs so long and so
great!
Despite its enormous rcpcrtory and its
| magnificent staif of artistes, the Imperial
| opera house cannot boast Of very great
! financial prosperity, and the yearly sub
! ycntlOn of 100000 gulden grdnted it by
| the Emperor Francis Joseph does not
| suffice to meet the expenses for 1856 For
| thls reason change in the person of the
| intcndant general or director is again
| rumorcd. This post is now occupied by
Baron BezcuCy, who is at the same time
! governor of the Bodencredit association
| -,-one Of the leading financial ana hypo-
| thecate institutions IN Austria. The
| crown princes court chancellor, Count
Bombelle, on the accomplished Count
Hans Wiiczck, who as also made name
in the geographical world as leader of
| Il North Pole expedition, have each been
mentioned as his prcsumptve successor.
do not belioyeia any Immediate change,
for the reason that the emperor
himself places very great con
iidcnce in Baron Bczrncy. With
regard TO the other musical iustitu.
tlonS, first of all comes the Philharmonic
society, which Is composed OF lnS mem
bers OF the orchestra Of the Imperial
opera, who give eight Sunday concerts
yearly from the months of November To
March. These matinces are frcquented
by the elite of music-lOying SiCnna, and
II is always difficult 20 procure a seat at
one OF these morning festivals. Not
little Of tins rush is due to fashion. for
fcmnluo society in Vienna often at.
taches more importance IN displaying
the latest achievements of the dresSmaE-
ers art than TO listening with rapt attea-
ton TO the performance OF difficult
symphony.
Next in Importance are the six popular
concerts given by the society nf "Al usical
Friends" " Like the Philharmonic, these
concerts are under the leadersbip'o of Hans
Richter. but although thoroughly ropu-